Growing cannabis on your own is an intriguing journey with rewarding experiences and results. However, this process can also become challenging and need immense dedication, time, resources, and effort. If you’re a new grower with limited resources, you will find it expensive and a bit difficult to grow cannabis indoors.
This is where understanding and having proper knowledge about outdoor cannabis growing techniques will come to aid. Knowing how to apply those techniques will be time-saving and cost-efficient, along with the benefit of having a bountiful cannabis harvest.
Some of the best cannabis companies like i49 have suggested using the best-quality seeds, which are ideal for growing cannabis outdoors. In this guide, we have discussed those seeds. Moreover, this guide will primarily provide you details about growing weed outdoors with a step-by-step approach.
So, let’s dig in.
Essential Equipment For Growing Cannabis Outdoors
The pieces of equipment needed for growing cannabis are categorically divided into the ones that are essential and the ones for optional needs. You will need the optional equipment only to produce high cannabis yields. For instance, the use of a greenhouse is an expensive yet optional method for growing cannabis outdoors. So, the equipment which you mainly will need are:
- Clones or cannabis seeds
- Grow containers or pots
- Soil mix and fertilizers
- Pesticides and nutrients booster
- PH level measuring tool
Stages of Growing Cannabis Outdoors
Before we jump into any further detail, let’s take a glance at the various stages involved in your cannabis growth outdoors. Later, we will discuss these stages more in this guide.
Stage 1 – Germination And Seedling
Your cannabis seeds will begin germination when they get exposed to constant temperature and moisture. The temperature around 18.3° C will primarily trigger the process of germination for your seeds. According to expert growers, the ideal solution is to germinate the seeds and keep them for about four weeks before bringing them outdoors in a suitable climatic condition.
Stage 2 – Vegetative Phase
If you find the young plants strong enough, you can take them outdoors for further growth. However, you have to take them outdoors only if the weather becomes warm, usually around the month of May in most places. In this vegetative stage, your cannabis plants will need training and protection from insects and pests.
Stage 3 – Flowering Phase
If you’re working with autoflowering plants, then it will start developing flowers on its own. However, a photoperiod plant will start switching to this phase after getting light for less than 12 hours a day. Moreover, for regular seeds, you will have to identify the male cannabis plants from the bunch and cut them out.
Stage 4 – Harvesting
If the big fan leaves of your plants turn yellow and show signs of wilt, you may consider it as the time for your harvest. In addition, the trichomes with a whitish amber effect also suggest that it’s time for your plants to get harvested. However, you must select the right cannabis strain, ideal for the climate of your place. This is because a poor choice of strain can make you wait for harvest until it gets too cold outdoors.
Growing Cannabis Outdoors: How Long Does It Take To Grow?
The time taken for your cannabis growth outdoors mainly depends on the type of strain you’re working on. For instance, autoflowers are one of the quickest varieties for your cannabis growth, as they can be done within two months. However, photoperiod plants take much longer than usual and enable high yield. These photoperiod cannabis plants can take about 4-6 months of average time to complete their harvest.
If you place your cannabis plants outdoors too early, your plants will stay in the vegetative stage for a longer time before transitioning into the flowering stage. Now comes the long-awaited harvest time. Well, your harvest time mainly depends on the type of strain and the climatic conditions. However, the ideal time for cannabis harvest is around the month of late September to mid-October.
Climatic Considerations For Growing Cannabis Outdoors
Unlike the indoor growers, who have options for multiple growing facilities, outdoor growers are somewhat at the mercy of mother nature. Starting from the minimal window for germination to rearing them through for vegetation and flowering and finally harvesting, needs a lot of patience from any outdoor grower.
As said earlier, experts suggest growing cannabis indoors for its initial stages to prevent them from getting frost outside. Then, you can transplant it outdoors if the climate starts to rise. Similarly, you have to wrap up your cannabis growth through harvest prior to cold weather conditions.
It is essential to coordinate your cannabis growth actions with the climatic conditions of your place. For example, if there’s a drought situation, you have to water your plants more than usual. If there’s any heatwave situation, you will have to cover your plants with a net. Also, if there’s hail outside, you will have to cover the bush with something to keep the buds intact.
Knowing The Right Time To Grow Cannabis Outdoors
If you’re a cannabis grower from a tropical region, you will enjoy the advantage of year-round growing. However, growers living far away in the North have to time their plants’ growth accordingly. If you’re a grower from the US or Europe, you can start growing cannabis outdoors sometime around May.
Choosing The Right Cannabis Strain
You can grow any type or variety of strain outdoors, especially if you have experience developing them. However, not all strains can give you the same results, as every variety is ideal for some specific conditions of climate, humidity, seasonal duration, and so on.
Suppose you’re trying to grow cannabis outdoors for the first time. In that case, you must consider using feminized or autoflower strains to increase the chances of the successful development of healthy cannabis plants.
Seeds Vs. Clones: What Is The Best Option For Outdoors?
As mentioned earlier in the equipment list, seeds or clones remain as the two options for outdoors growers to start with their cannabis growth.
If you use clones, you will enjoy the primary advantage of having unlimited cannabis plants identical to the mother cannabis plant. Using clones also enhances your certainty about the characteristics of the cannabis buds after every harvest.
If you choose clones from a female cannabis plant, you will alleviate the need to check for the sex of each plant. This will automatically eliminate the chances of having male cannabis plants that affect the THC content of the female ones.
Moreover, it requires a lot of effort, knowledge, and patience to give care and attention to your clones and mother plant. In the vegetative stage, you must keep the mother plant under light for about 12 hours or more in a day.
However, clones don’t develop any thick or hard covering as they don’t have a thick taproot at the center. This is why protecting your clines for outdoor growth during wind and drought is essential.
On the other hand, cannabis seeds produce a little less consistent results compared to clones. The main advantage of using cannabis seeds is that your plants will become much bigger and more resilient. The best condition is to use feminized or autoflower cannabis seeds for getting 99% similar results for every plant.
Knowing The Ideal Spot For Growing Cannabis Outdoors
It is very crucial to choose an ideal spot or area for growing cannabis outdoors. This selection of the most suitable area for your outdoor garden will determine the success and affect the growth of the plants in every stage.
Firstly, you must ensure to plant your cannabis crop at a place where it will receive optimum light, directly from the sun.
Secondly, a constant breeze for your cannabis plants has become an essential factor. This breeze will allow you to develop healthy plants as the airflow works as an external stressor. This, in turn, strengthens the stalks and stems of the cannabis plants. However, if you’re planting your cannabis crop over a windy environment, you have to ensure to support the plant with windbreaks such as fences, walls, or hedges.
Finally, you have to choose the growing site considering the security and privacy. If you want to enjoy a peaceful yet satisfying cannabis outdoor growth, you must shield and protect it from thieves and judgmental people.
Final Thoughts
So, from this comprehensive guide, you must have received a lot of knowledge about growing cannabis outdoors. You must follow these steps explained in-depth to excel in your plant’s growth and results.
